Gas-engine.



N0.72s,344. PATENTBD.MAR.31,1903. K

. A. H. DINGMAN.

GAS ENGINE.

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No. 723,844. f PATBNTED MAR. 31, 1903'.

A; H. DINGMAN.

GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. 24, 1901.

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THE mums PETERS co. who're-Limo vusumcvon, a c.

No. 723,844. v PATENTED MAR. 31, 190-s.'

A. DINGMANL GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0012.24, 1901.

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. N0 MODEL.

Zdzfiea sea MM y I M g V YNE VORRIS PETE SHINOTOP D b r r N0. 723,844. PATENTED MAR. 31, 1903.

GAS ENGINE. I

APPLICATION FILED 00124, 1901. NO MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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No. 723,844. PATENTED MAR. 31, 1903;

A.'H. DINGMAN'.

GAS ENGINE APPLIUATION FILED 00124, 1901.

.30 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

PATENT ALLEN II. DINGMAN, OF DEHAVEN, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAS-EN GiNE.

SEECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 723,844, dated March 31, 1903.

Application filed October 24, 1901. Serial No. 79.843. (No model.)

This invention relates to gas explosive-engines, and has for its object to provide improved valve mechanism for supplying gas and air to the cylinder and for exhaustingtlie burned mixture therefrom.

It also has for its object to provide novel means for keeping cool the supply-valve.

It has for its further object to provide novel means for lubricating such valve and its casing and other working parts of the engine.

Finally, it has for its object to provide certain other improvements in this class of inventions which will hereinafter become apparent.

To these several ends my invention consists in the features and in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims following the description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingapart of this specification, wherein- Figure 1 is a view in vertical elevation of my improved engine. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a top plan View thereof, partially in horizontal section, the section being taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line tof Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an inner face view of the supply-valve casing. Fig. 6 is a sectional view thereof, taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is aviewin elevatiom partly in section, of the supply-valve. Fig. 8 is a top pian-view of said valve. Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view thereof. Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view of the gas-inlet valve. Fig. 11 is a detail perspective view of the governorvalve. Fig. 12 is a detail bottom plan view of the igniter; and Figs. 13 to 16, inclusive, are diagrammatic views illustrating the supplyvalvein thedifferent positions it assumes during one complete cycle of movements of the engine.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the cylinder, which, as shown, is verticallyarranged, and 2 the piston arranged to reciprocate therein. The walls of the cylinder are hollow to form a water-jacket 3, as usual, and the cylinder-head 4, which covers and is bolted to the upper end of the cylinder, is also hollow to form a water-jacket 5, which is in communication with the water-jacket 3 I through ducts or passages 6. (Shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings.) The cylinder 1 is preferably cast integral with a crankcasing 7, comprising a hollow metallic shell,

whicnfornis a support for the cylinder and The piston rests at its bottom on a base 8. 2 is hollowed out or recessed on its upper side, as at 9, to receive the full impact of the explosion and is provided on its under side with bearings 10, in which are journaled trunnions 11, formed on or fitted in the upper-end of a connecting-rod 12. The lower end of said rod is journaled on the crank 13 of an engine or crankshaft 14:. The crank-casing 7 is cast open on two of its adjacent sides, and said openings are respectively closed by metallic covers 14 and 15, detachably bolted to the casing, the cover It being made removable to facilitate the engine-shaft being fitted in place and the cover 15 being also removable to furnish convenient access to the interior of the crankcasing 7. Bearings 16 and 17 are respectively formed in one side of the crank-casing and in the cover 14', and fitted in each of said bearings is a bushing consist-ingof two tubular sleeves 18 and 19, which are of such length that whenthe two sleeves are fitted in the bearings their ends will not quite abut, whereby an annular groove 20 is formed between saidsleeves and between the bearing and the side of the crank-shaft 14, which is journaled in said bushings, for the purpose hereinafter set forth. Balance or fly wheels 21 are fixed on the opposite ends of the crankshaft.

Rigidly and tightly secured to one side of the cylinder 1 by bolts 22 is thesupply-valve casing 23, consisting of a metallic casting cored out centrally and vertically to form a tapered valve-seat 24, (see Figs. 2 and 5,)

said bore or seat extending from top to bottom of the casing 23 and gradually decreas ing in diameter from the top to a point near the bottom of said casing, the lower end of the bore terminating in an enlarged annular chamber 25, formed in the bottom of the easing. The top and bottom of the casing are closed water-tight by covers 26 and 27, bolted thereto, and said covers are provided centrally with stuffing-boxes 28, through which passes a rotatable vertical shaft or valvespindle 29. Seated in the valve-seat 24 is a rotatable valve 30, consisting of a plug tapered to correspond to the tapered formation of the seat and splined on the valve-spindle 29 by akey 3], which is fixed on or in the valve-spindle and loosely fits a slot or keyway formed internally in a boss or hub 32, cast integrally with the valve. The valve is cast hollow from end to end, as indicated at 33, and has attached to each of its ends an annular cup-shaped leather 34, (see Fig. 7,) which is secured in place by a ring-shaped washer 35, bolted to the valve by bolts 36. The purpose of said leather packings is to prevent any water from getting between the valve and its seat or from gaining access to the interior of the cylinder 1. Formed in i the periphery of the valve 30 is a segmentshaped recess or mortise 37, that extends nearly one'half around the circumference of said valve and forms a passage or port for the gas and air. At certain times during the operation of the engine the port 37 is adapted to communicate with an inlet-port 38, formed partly in the valve-casing and partly in one side of the cylinder 1, said port 38 extending from the Valve-seat to the upper end of the interior of the cylinder, as most clearly shown in Fig. 2. The portis also adapted at times to communicate with an air and gas inlet port 39 and with an exhaust-port 40, both formed in the valve-casing 23, (see Fig. 4,) the former having fitted therein one end of an air and gas feed and mixing pipe 41 and the latter an exhaust-pipe 42. By keying the valve on the valve-spindle 29 in the manner described said valve and spindle are caused to rotate together; but the valve may be freely moved vertically on the spindle. The valve is held tightly to its seat by a coiled spring 43, one end of which rests on the hub 32 of the valve and its other end bears against the under side of a collar adjustably mounted on the valve-spindle, as follows: The upper end of the valve-spindle is hollow and is internally threaded, and fitted in said hollow and threaded end of the spindle is an adjusting-screw 44, the upper end of which is provided with a square head 45 and is held in its adjusted position bya lock-nut 46. A pin 47 is screwed through one side of the collar 44' and projects through a vertical slot 48 in the valve-spindle into contact with the thread of the adjusting-screw 44. It will be obvious that by turning the adj listing-screw in one direction or the other the collar will be adjusted up or down, and the tension of the spring 43 will be thereby regulated. The

spring operates to hold the valve to its seat, and by making said valve and its seattapered, as shown, the valve will seat itself tightly and closely to its seat and will rcgrind itself and be automatically forced to its seat by the spring to compensate for wear. The lower end of the valve-spindle 29 is journaled in a bearing 49, bolted to the crank-casing 7, and has fixed on its lower extremity a wormwheel 50, that gears with a similar wormwheel 51, fixed on the crank-shaft 14, the arrangement of said gears being such that the valve-spindle 29 is caused to rotate a single time during every two complete rotations of the crank-shaft.

It is obvious that unless some means are provided for preventing it the valve 30 will become heated owing to its being directlysubjected to the heated charges after the explosions occur in the cylinder and also owing to its receiving a portion of the impact at each compression of the mixed charge of gas and air. In order to keep the valve and its casing cool, I make the valve hollow, as before described, and in the lower part of the valvecasing and in the cylinder I form a port or passage 52, that leads from the chamber 25 in the lower end of the valve-casing to the water-jacket 3 in the cylinder. A pipe 53, leading from any suitable source of watersupply, is tapped through the upper end of the valve-casing, and a discharge-pipe 54 leads from the water-jacket 5. It will thus be seen that water is constantly (lowing into the upper end of the valve casing, down through the hollow valve 30 into the chamber 25, through the port 52 into the waterjacket 3, surrounding the cylinder, through the ducts 6 into the water-jacket 5 in the cylinder head, and out from the latter through the pipe 54. The valve and its casing, as well as the cylinder and cylinder-head, are thus kept cool during the entire operation of the engine.

As before stated, the gas and air is introduced into the inlet-port 39 through a feed and mixing pipe 41. This pipe consists of a short section of pipe screwed into the threaded end of the port 39 and has fitted on its outer end an air-regulating valve 55. The valve 55 is of ordinary construction and well known to those skilled in the art and is adapted to be turned by hand to admit a greater or less quantity of atmospheric air, whereby the proportion of air and gas fed to the cylinder may be regulated to suit the quality and pressure of the gas. Coupled to the pipe 41, between the air-valve and the port 39, is the gas-supply pipe 56, which feeds gas to the pipe 41, where it meets the incoming air. The gas and air are mixed in the pipe 41, and from the latter the mixture is fed to the port 39 and from the latter passes at properintervals into the cylinder through the ports 37 and 38. The gas-supply pipe 56 is provided with an ordinary hand-operated valve 57, by means ofwhich the supply of gas to the engine can be regulated in the same manner that the air-supply is regulated by the valve 55, and said pipe is also provided with an automatic gas-valve, (see Figs. 4 and 1.0,) which IIO operates to control the feed of gas to the cyl opening upwardly, and is mounted on a vertical valve-stem 64, the upper end of which is guided in a socket 65, formed in the under side of a threaded plug 66, screwed in the upper side of the valve-casing. The under side of the valve-casing 58 is cast to form a cylinder 67, in which is fitted to freely reciprocate a plunger consisting of a pistonhead 68, fixed on the valve-stem 64:, and a cupshaped leather 69, held in place against the under side of the piston-head by a washer and a nut 71, screwed on the lower end of the valve-stem. Between the piston-head and the under side of the diaphragm 61 is arranged a coiled spring 72, which normally operates to hold the valve 63 closed against its seat. During the operation of the engine the'valve is normally held closed by the spring 72; but whenever the valve 30 is turned to a position to take in a charge of mixed gas and air, which occurs on every alternate downstroke of the piston 2, as will shortly be eX- plained, a partial vacuum will be formed above the plunger 68, and the atmospheric pressure will then overcome the spring 72 and lift the plunger, thus opening the valve 63 and permitting the gas to flow through the pipes 56 and 41 and through the port 39, the valve 30, and port 38into the cylinder. When the piston 2 starts to ascend, however, to compress the charge, the valve 30 will have been turned to close the cylinder-port 38 and the spring 72 will operate to force down the plunger 68 and close the valve 63, thus cutting off the gas-supply. It will thus be seen that the gas-valve is entirely automatic in its action and is only open during such time as the cylinder is actually taking in a charge of mixed gas and air.

The operation of the engine in so far as the same is above describedis as follows: Let it be assumed that the engine is runningand that the exhaust from the cylinder has just been completed and that the piston is about to start to take in a fresh charge or gaseous mixture. The piston at such time will be at the upper end of the cylinder and the valve 30 will be in the position shown in Fig. 13 of the drawings-that is to say, the port 37 of said valve will be in communication with both the inlet-port 39 of the valve-casing and the cylinder-port 38, the exhaustport 40 being closed. Then as the piston 2 descends the valve 63 will automatically open, as above described, and air and gas will flow in from the pipe 41 throughthe exhaust-port 40.

ports 39, 37, and 38 into the cylinder until the piston has nearly reached the limit of its downstroke. The valve 30,however, during" the movement of the piston has been constantly turning in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig, 13 through the medium of the worm-gearing 5O 51, connecting the engine-shaft and valve-spindle, and by the time the piston has completed its downstroke the valve 30 will have been turned to the position shown in Fig. 14, closing the cylinder-port 38, whereupon the gas-valve 63 automatically closes, as before explained.

As the piston moves on its upstroke it com presses the gaseous charge taken into the cylinder on its previous downstroke until it reaches the upper end of the cylinder, when the charge is ignited, (by means hereinafter described,) and the resulting explosion forces the piston down on a second downstroke'. During the upward movement of the piston to compress the charge the valve 30 continues to turn through the medium of the gearing described, and during said upstrokethe eX- haust-port 40 and cylinder-port 38 remain closed, as shown in Fig. 14, and by the time the piston has completed its upstroke to compress the charge and start on its second down or working stroke caused by the explosion the valve will have been turned to the position shown in Fig. 15, in which position of the valve the cylinder-port 38 and the gas-inlet port 39 will be closed. During the downward or working stroke of the piston the valve' continues to turn in the direction indicated by the arrow, and by the time it has com-- to ascend on its second upward stroke the burned gases will be forced out ofthe cylinder by the piston and will escape through the cylinder-port 38, the valve-port 37, and the After completing this cycle of four movements or piston-strokes the piston again descends, taking in a fresh charge of gas and air, the valve 63 again antomatically opening for the purpose .in the of movements described water continuously flows through the valve and its casing and through the Water-jackets in the cylinder and cylinder-heads, keeping said parts. cool.

manner before described. During the cycle Owing to the continuous rotary movement. 7

of the valve, as set forth, the engine runs smoothly and comparatively noiselessly,

there being no jerky or suddenly stopping and starting movement of the Valve, mechanism such as occurs in many of the gas-engines commonly in use. 7

The igniter is caused to ignite the mixed charge of gas and air after each compression of the latter through the instrumentality of the same mechanism that actuates the valve and in the following manner: Fitted tightly in an aperture formed centrally in the cylinder-head 4 is a plug 73, which is provided at its upper end with laterally-projecting lugs or flanges 74, that are bolted to the cylinderhead. Passing through said plug is a bolt 75, fixed to the lower end of which is a contact consisting of a flat metallic bar 76, preferably of steel. Said bolt is electrically insulated from the plug and is held in place at its upper end by two nuts 77 and 78, between which is clamped one end of an electric circuit-wire '79. Also passing through said plug and rotatable therein is a bolt 80, having fixed to its lower end a metallic, and preferably steel, contact, consisting of a bar 81, the ends of which are bent toward the fixed contact 76. The upper end of the bolt 80 has fixed thereon a collar 82, and screwed on the bolt above the collar is a nut 83. The other terminal 91 of the electric circuit is conveniently connected up to the igniter by clamping the end of the wire between one of the lugs 74 of the )lug and the head of its fasteningbolt 92.

rojecting laterally from one side of the collar 82 is an arm 84, having attached to its free end a fiat spring 85, forming a tappet. Fixed to the arm 84 is a bent leaf-spring 86, the ends of which respectively bear against pins 87 and 88, secured in the cylinder-head. Said spring bearing equally against both said pins normally holds the arm 84 centrallybetween the pins, in which position the ends 82 of the contact 81 will both be held out of engagement with the contact 76. Fixed on the upper end of the valve-spindle 29 is a beveled gear-wheel 89, from near the edge of which depends a pin 90. Once during every complete rotation of the valve 30 the pin 90 will engage the end of the fiat spring 85, carried by the arm 84, and will move it to one side, thereby axially rocking the rotatable bolt 80 and oscillating the contact 81 in such manner that one of the ends 82 of the latter will be thrown into engagement with the fixed contact 70. As the wheel 89 continues to rotate the pin 90 will slip from off the end of the fiat spring 85, whereupon the leaf-spring 86,

will immediately restore the arm 84 to its former position and throw the contact 81 out of engagement with the fixed contact 76. As said contacts are separated a spark is formed which will ignite the compressed gaseous chargein the cylinder and cause an explosion therein. It will of course be understood that the wheel 89 is so fixed on the valve-spindle 29 that the pin 90 will release the flat spring at the precise moment the piston is in readiness to commence its working stroke, at which time the valve 30 will be in the position shown in Fig. 15. By causing the pin to engage a fiat spring carried by the arm 84 the oscillating contact 82 is pressed into engagement with the fixed contact 76 yieldingly, whereby the proper contact between the two parts is insured and breakage of the parts is effectually prevented.

In order to regulate and control the speed of the engine, I provide the following governor mechanism: Fixed to one side of the upper end of the cylinder and valve-casing is a casing 93, (see Figs. 1 and 3,) and jon rnaled in a bearing 94, formed on or attached to one side of said casing, is a hollow shaft 95, on one end of which is fixed a beveled gearwheel 96, that gears with the beveled gearwheel 89, fixed on the valve-spindle 29, the relative sizes of said two gear-wheels being such that the gear-wheel 96 makes one complete rotation to every two rotations made by the gear-wheel 89. On the opposite or inner end of the hollow shaft is fixed a head 97, provided with two laterally-projecting and outwardly bent or inclined arms 98, and pivoted intermediate their ends to the ends of said arms are two angular leversor governor-arms 99, to one end of each of which is fixed a ball or weight 100. Passing loosely through the hollow shaft is an endwise-movable rod or pin 101, the inner end of which is provided with a head 102, against which the free ends 103 of the governor-arms are adapted to bear, and the other end of said rod or pin bears against a pivoted lever 104. The lever 104 is pivoted at a point near one of its ends, as at 105, to a lug 106, formed on the governor-casing 93, and to its longer end is pivotally connected one end of a link 107. Arranged in the gas-inlet port 39 of the valvecasing is a damper-valve 108, (see Figs. 4 and 11,) and the stem 109 of said valve projects through the top of the valve-casing and has fixed thereon a crank-arm 110, to which the other end of the link 107 is pivotally connected. Formed on or attached to one side of the governor-casing is a sleeve or tubular socket 111, in the open end of which is loosely arranged a push pin 112, which is forced against the short end of the lever 104 by a coiled spring 113, disposed in said barrel or socket. The tension of the spring is adjusted by means of an adjusting-screw 114, screwed into the rear end of the barrel or socket and provided at its inner end with a head 115, which forms a seat for one end of the spring 111. It will be obvious that by screwing in or out the, screw 114 the spring 111 will be compressed to a greater or less extent, and hence the push-pin 112 will bear against the short end of the lever 104 with a greater or less pressure. A lock-nut 116 is screwed over the adjusting-screw 114 and serves to lock the latter in its adjusted position.

The operation of the governor mechanism is as follows: When the engine is running at normal or the desired speed, the valve 108 will be in the position shown in Fig. 4 or wide open, and the adjusting-screw 114 will be so adjusted that the tension of the spring 113 will be such that it will exert a pressure through the push-pin 112 against the short end of the lever 104 that will be equal to the pressure exerted by the ends 103 of the governor-arms against the rod or pin 101. Hence the valve 108 will remain open as long as the IIO engine continues to run at normal speed. If, however, the speed of the engine should increase, then the governor-arms will be forced against the rod or pin 101 with an increased pressure, owing to the balls or weights being further thrown out by centrifugal force, and will overcome the pressure of the spring 111. The long end of the lever 104D will then force the link 107 endwise in a direction to turn the crank-arm 110 and partially close the valve 108, thereby throttling the port 39 and reducing the supply of gas and air to the cylinder. This will resultin reducing the speed of the engine, and the valve 108 will be held partially closed until the speed of the engine has been so reduced that the pressure of the spring 113 against the short end of the lever 10 1 again becomes equal to the pressure of the governor-arms against the rod or pin 101, whereupon the valve 108 will be restored to its normal or wide-open position. It will be evident that by increasing or diminishing the tension of the spring 113 the rate of speed at which the governor will have to run to counterbalance the pressure of said spring can be altered, and hence the engine can be set to run at any desired speed by merely turning the adjusting-screw 114, and this can be instantly accomplished at any time withoutstopping the engine. 7

The foregoing description of the operation of the engine is based on the assumption that the engine has been started and is steadily or continuously running. To start the engine, however, it is necessary to turn the engine by hand to first cause a charge of the gaseous mixture to be taken into the cylinder, then compressed, and next ignited, and for this purpose I provide the following mechanism: Instead of rigidly fixing the worm-wheel 51 on the crank-shaft 14 I mount it thereon so that it maybe given a one-quarter turn independently of the crank-shaft, and this is accomplished by forming a segmentshaped groove or keyway 117 internally in the wormwheel 51 and fixing in the shaft a key 118, that is adapted to freely move in said groove or keyway. It will be evident that the shaft 14 may be given a one-quarter turn without turning the worm-wheel 51, or, in other words, the shaft may he turned independently of the saidworm-wheel until the key 118 arrives at the end of the groove or keyway, when the shaft and worm-wheel must rotate together. Inserted in one side of the cylinder 1 is a stop-cock 119, said stop-cock being arranged at such a point that when open it. will communicate with the interior of the cylinder at a point just above the top of the piston 2 when the latter is at the limit of its downstroke. As the engine is turned forward in the direction indicated by the arrows shown in Figs. 13 to 16 the supply-valve 30 Will communicate with the ports in the order before described, and the cylinder will take in the initial charge precisely in the manner as when theengineisrunningcontinuously; but

when the piston 2 has reached the lower end of the cylinder after having drawn in the charge the supply-valve will then close, and the operator then turns the engine back by hand to cause the piston to compress the charge, and during such movement the key 118 will move back through the groove or keyway 117, and the supply-valve 30 will therefore remain stationary. When the initial charge is thus taken in, it is ignited by the means previously described and the piston is forced down by the resultant explosion on its dowustroke until the stopcock establishes a communication between the interior of the cylinder and the atmosphere, and thereupon the exhaust takes place through the stop-cock. The charge starts the engine to running; but some gas will be leftin the cylinder when the piston moves on its upstroke, and this gas will be compressed and will react on the piston on its next downstroke, after which the sup ply-valve 30 will open the exhaust-port and the following upstroke of the piston will clear the cylinder and succeeding downstroke of. the piston will take in a charge of gas and air, the next upstroke will compress it, and it will then be ignited, whereupon the engine will repeatedly perform the cycle of movements before described. It will of course be understood that the stop-cock will be closed as soon as the engine is started. If the engine is a small one, the operator turns it forward by hand in the same manner as when the engine is running, and consequently the first charge is taken into the cylinder the same as any other charge and is ignited at the proper time automatically by the igniterin the manner explained. When the engine, however, is a large one, it cannot easily be turned forward by hand, because the compression would be greater than could easily be overcome in such manner, so that in starting a large engine it is turned forward to take in as large a charge as is convenient, after which it is turned backward to compress the charge. It cannot be turned back by hand through the full stroke; but it is turned back as far as the operator is able to turn it, and the igniter is tripped by hand to ignite this first charge, after which the igniter Works automatically. It will be seen that lost motion is provided for in the valve-gear when the engine is turned back in order to keep the valve closed while compressing the charge, and consequently the igniter cannot operate to ignite the first charge automatically,'because the valve-gear does not move to operate the igniter, and so when the engine is turned backward by hand the igniter must be operated also by hand.

It only remains to describe the means employed for keeping the difierent working parts of the engine lubricated, and for this purpose I provide the following mechanism: As before described, the crank-casing 7 is seated on a base 8,'the latter being provided with a basin or chamber 119'. Fitted cen- 'a check-valve consisting of a threaded plug 120, screwed in a threaded opening formed in I the bottom of said casing and provided with a plurality of openings 121, which are normally closed by a flexible disk 122, secured to the under side of the plug by a screw and washer 123. Supported in the chamber 119 is a horizontal foraminous diaphragm 124, on which is disposed a filtering material of any suitable kind, such as cotton, for example. In practice asuitable quantityof oil is placed in the basin 119, and leading from the bottom of thelatter is a pipe 125, which extends up to the valvewasing Cast in the inner face of the latter are two vertical grooves 126 and 127, (see Fig. 5,) and turned in the upper and lower ends of the valve-seat 21 are two annular grooves 128 and 129, which are in communication with the grooves 126 and -127 through passages 130 drilled through the casing from the grooves 126 and 127 to the grooves 128 and 125). From the lower ends of the grooves 126 and 127 to the bottom of the valve-casing extend threaded openings 131 and 132, in the latter of which is screwed the end of the pipe 125. A threaded opening 133 also extends from the upper end of the groove 126 through the top of the valve-casing, and fitted in said opening is one end of .a pipe 134, the other end of which is fitted in an opening in the top of the governor-casing 93. From the bottom of the casing 93 extends a pipe 135, which is tapped at its lower end through one side of the lower portion of the cylinder 1. In the opening 131 in the valvecasing is fitted one end of a pipe136, the other end of which is provided with two branches 137, that respectively communicate with the grooves 20 in the engine-shaft bearings. The operation of this part of the engine is as follows: At each downward stroke of the piston 2 the air will be compressed in the crank-casing 7, and a portion of it will be forced through the valve in the bottom of said easing into the chamber 119. When the piston moves up on its upstroke, a partial vacuum is formed in the crank-casing, thus causing the pressure in the chamber 119 to greatly exceed that of the casing 7. This excess of pressure forces the oil up through the pipe 125, which is provided with a checkvalve 138 to prevent back pressure, and into the grooves 126 127 128 129, and thus thoroughly lubricates the valve 30 and its oasing. Part of the oil is forced up through the pipe 134 into the governor-casing, where it is distributed over the working parts of the governor, and from said casingit is conveyed by the pipe 135 to the interior of the lower part of the cylinder,where it lubricates the latter and the piston, the oil dripping from the lower end of the cylinder into the bottom of the crank-casing 7. A part of the oil is also conveyed by the pipe 136 to the grooves 20 in the engine-shaft bearings. The drippings that are caught in the bottom of the crank'casing are forced by action of the piston through the valve in the bottom of said casing into the chamber 119 and through the filtering material into the bottom of the casing. A constant circulation of the lubricant is thus maintained and the filtering material operates to remove all foreign matter from the oil before the latter is permitted to pass to the working parts.

As has hereinbefore been pointed out, the piston 2 is hollowed out or recessed on its upper side, as at 0. After a charge of air and gas has been sufficiently compressed by the piston it still occupies a relatively large space in the cylinder, which is ordinarily provided for by making the cylinder proportionately longer beyond the upstroke of the piston; but in my improved engine the cylinder is but very little longer than the upstroke of the piston, and the space required for the compressed charge is provided for by hollowing out the upper end of the piston in the manner shown and described.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In agas-eugine,the combination with the cylinder and piston, of the valve-casing having a and air inlet port and an exhaustport, a port connecting said casing with the cylinder, a hollow rotatable valve arranged in the casing and provided with a peripheral segmentshaped grooved port adapted to siin nltaneously connect any two adjacent ports in the casing, means for automatically regulating the entrance of gas and air to the cylinder, means for rotating said valve, and means for maintaining a continuous circulation of water through the hollow valve and the water-jacketof the cylinder,substantially as described.

2. In a gas-engine,the combination with the cylinder and piston, of the valve-casing having a gas and air inlet port and an exhaustport, a port connecting said casing with the cylinder, the said casing being provided with a tapered valve-seat, a hollow rotatable tapered valve fitted in said valve-seat and provided with a peripheral segmentshaped grooved port adapted to simultaneously connect any two adjacent ports in the casing, means for automatically regulating the admission of air and gas to the cylinder, means for rotating said valve, and means for maintaining a continuous circulation of water through the hollow valve and the water-jacket of the cylinder, substantially as described.

3. In a gas-engine,the combination with the cylinder and piston, of the valve-casing having a gas and air inlet port and an exhaustport, a port connecting said casing with the cylinder, the said casing being provided with a tapered valve-seat, a hollow rotatable tapered valve fitted in said valve-seat and pro vided with a peripheral segment shaped grooved port adapted to simultaneously connect any two adjacent ports in the casing, means for automatically regulating the ad- IIO IIS

mission of air and gas to the cylinder a spring for holding said valve to its seat, and means for maintaining a continuous circulation of water through the hollow valve and the water-jacket of the cylinder, substantially as described.

4. Inagas-engiue,thecombination withthe cylinder and piston, ot' the valve-casing having a gas and air inlet port and an exhaustport, a port connecting said casing with the cylinder, the said casing beingprovided with a tapered valve-seat, a hollow rotatable tapered valve fitted in said valveseat and provided with a peripheral segment-shaped grooved port adapted to simultaneously connect any two adjacent ports in the casing, a coiled spring arranged to hold the valve to its seat, and means for adjusting the tension of the spring from the exterior of the casing, and means for maintaining a continuous circulation of water through the hollow valve and the water-jacket of the cylinder, substantially as described.

5. In agas-engine, the combination with the cylinder and piston, of the valve-casing having a gas and air inlet port and an exhaustport, a port connecting said casing with the cylinder, the said casing being provided with a tapered valve-scat, a rotatable tapered valve fitted in said valve-seat and provided with a peripheral segment -shaped grooved port adapted to simultaneously connect any two adjacent ports in the casing, a valve-spindle passing longitudinally through the valve and through the valve-casing, said valve being longitudinally movable on but held 'against rotating independently of the valve-spindle, a collar longitudinally adjustable on the valve-spindle, a coiled spring disposed between the collar and the valve, and means for adjusting the collar from the exterior of the casing to regulate the tension of the spring, substantially as described.

6. In a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder and piston, of the valve-casing having a gas and air inlet port and an exhaustport, a port connecting said casing with the cylinder, the said casing being provided with a tapered valve-seat, a rotatable tapered valve fitted in said valve-seat and provided with a peripheral segment-shaped grooved port adapted to simultaneously connect any two adjacent ports in the casing, a valvespindle passing longitudinally through the valve and valve-casing, said spindle being hollow at one end and said valve being longitudinally movable on but held against rotating independently of the spindle, a collar movably arranged on the hollow end of the spindle, a coiled spring arranged between the collar and the valve, an adjusting-screw rotatably arranged in the hollow end of the spindle, and a pin carried by the collar and projecting through a longitudinal slot in the spindle into engagement with the threads of the adjusting-screw, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. In agas-engine, the combination with the cylinder and piston, of the valve-casinghaving a gas and airinlet port and an exhaust-.

port, a port connecting said casing wit-h the cylinder, the said casing being provided with a tapered valve-seat, a rotatable tapered valve fitted in the valve-seat and provided with a peripheral segment-shape grooved port adapted to simultaneously connect any two adjacent ports in the casing, a valve-spindle passing longitudinally through the valve and a tapered valve-seat, and at one end with a water-chamber, arotatable tapered valve fitted in the valve-seat and provided with a peripheral segmentshaped grooved port adapted to simultaneously connect any two adjacent ports in the valve-casing, said valve being hollow and open at its opposite ends and communicating at one end-with said waterchamber, a port leading from the water-chamber to the water-jacket of the cylinder, and means for maintaining a continuous flow of water through the hollow valve and the water-jacket, substantially as described.

9. In a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder and piston, of the valve-casing having a gas and air inlet port and an exhaustport, a port connecting said casing with the cylinder, the said casin g being provided with atapered valve-seat, a rotatable tapered valve fitted in the valve-seat and provided with a peripheral segment-shaped grooved port adapted to simultaneously connect any two adjacent ports in the valve-casing, said valve being hollow and open at its opposite ends, cupshaped flexible annuli seated against the opposite ends of the valve and engaging the valve-seat, annular washers attached to the ends of thevalve and holding said annnli to their seats, and means for maintaining a continuous flow of water through said hollow valve, substantially as described.

10. In a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder and piston, of the valve-casing having a gas and air inlet portand an exhaust-port, a port connecting the casing with the cylinder, the said casing being provided with a tapered valve-seat, a rotatable tapered valve fitted in the valve-seat and provided with a peripheral segment-shaped grooved port adapted to simultaneously connect any two adjacent ports in the valve-casing, a spindle rotatably connected with said valve, a gearwheel loosely mounted on the engine-shaft and provided internally with a segmentshaped slot, a key fixed on the shaft and projecting into said slot, a gear-wheel on the valve-spindle gearing with the gear-wheel or the engine-shaft, and a stop-cock inserted in the side of the cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

11. In a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder and piston, of the valve-casing having a gas and air inlet port and an exhaust-port, a port connecting the casing with the cylinder, the said casing being provided with a tapered valve-seat, a rotatable tapered valve fitted in the valve-seat and provided with a peripheral segment-shaped grooved port adapted to simultaneously connect any two adjacent ports in the valve-casing, a spindle rotatably connected with said valve, gearing driven by the forward movement of the engine for rotating the said valve continuously in one direction, means for im parting lost motion to said gearing when the engine is started backward by hand to compress an initial charge, and a stop-cock inserted in the side of the cylinder and adapted to place the cylinder in communication with the atmosphere when the piston is at the end of its downward stroke, substantially as described.

12. In a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder and piston, of the valve-casing having a gas and air inlet port and an exhaust-port, a port connecting the casing with the cylinder, the said casing being provided with a tapered valve-seat, a tapered valve fitted in the valve-seat and provided with a pcripheral segment-shaped grooved port adapted to simultaneously connect any two adjacent ports in the valve casing, annular grooves formed in the valve-seat about the valve, rectilinear passages connecting said grooves, and means for maintaining a circulation of lubricant through said grooves and passages, substantially as described.

13. In a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder and piston, of the valve-casing having a gas and air inlet port and an exhaust-port, a port connecting the casing with the cylinder, a rotatable valve fitted in the casing and provided with a peripheral segment-shaped grooved port adapted to simultaneously connect any two adjacent ports in the casing, a throttling-valve arranged in the gas and air inlet port in the casing, a speedgovernor arranged to automatically actuate said throttling-valve and control the admission of gas and air to the cylinder, and springactuated mechanism for normally holding the throttling-valve open against the action of the governor, and means for varying at will, while the engine is in motion, the resistance of the spring-actuated mechanism to the control of the governor, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALLEN II. DINGMAN.

Witnesses:

GEO. BRADLEY, JOHN H. CUNNINGHAM. 

